NOTE: Our spam filters are designed to catch comments with multiple links in them and send them to moderation. Because of this, your comment on this post may not show up immediately. But have no fear! It will be counted, and will likely show within 24 hours of you commenting/entering the contest!
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Hello, hive! We’ve got another great giveaway for you today! Keep reading to find out how to enter for your chance to win a $250 gift card to Blue Nile!
What’s not to love about Blue Nile? They’re exclusively online and the biggest online retailer of certified diamonds, engagement rings, and fine jewelry. Is bigger better? YES! The perfect diamond for you—size, cut, clarity, and price—is definitely at Blue Nile. They have over 100,000 diamonds to choose from…yep. 100K.
If s/he already put a ring on it, but you’re still looking for that perfect “something blue,” we love Blue Nile’s selection of jewelry in sapphire, topaz, and aquamarine—a blue for every color palette!
Featured (Clockwise from top right): Diamond Curved Necklace 2ctw | Halo Diamond Earrings 1ctw | Blue Topaz and Diamond Pendant Classic Akoya Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings | Classic Akoya Cultured Pearl Strand Necklace | Fleur Diamond Earrings 1.5ctw
Pearls, platinum, colored stones, gold, silver, platinum, and more…whew. Jewelry makes the perfect gift for your family and bridal party that they can wear for your wedding and beyond. Shop anytime, with 24/7 live and commission-free customer service, free FedEx shipping on all orders, and a comprehensive education and guidance section helping you with your purchasing decisions every step of the way, day or night.
Are you ready to win some fine jewelry?
Entry is simple:
The grand prize winner will receive a $250 gift card to Blue Nile, and two runners-up will receive $100 Blue Nile gift cards!
You have until 11:59 PM PST on May 28 to enter. Good luck!
You can follow Blue Nile on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.
While James, our photographer, was out taking photos with the guys, I was busy inside the parlor of the church getting ready for the ceremony.
Like I said before, we didn’t really get many photos of me and my girls “getting ready,” which was totally my fault for being so behind schedule. James did run into the parlor after I had done my hair and makeup to snap a few photos of me before I put on my dress, though.
Here I am writing my love letter to Mr. A. This is kind of funny, because I had been bugging/reminding him to write his all week, and I ended up waiting until the last possible minute to write mine! Typical Mrs. A behavior, right there.
I wore the Plum Pretty Sugar robe Mr. A got me for Valentine’s Day while I was getting ready, and I’m so glad James was able to capture a few pictures of me in it! And although I had only about an hour and a half to get my hair and makeup done, I didn’t really feel rushed at all. The only snafu was realizing I had not brought the eyelash glue for my falsies, so BM Dancer ran to the nearest CVS to pick some up for me. Aside from that, the whole getting ready process was golden, and I was so glad I decided to DIY my hair and makeup. Being able to concentrate on something so familiar and routine for me like putting on my makeup really took away a huge chunk of the stress I had been feeling. And the DIY makeup trials I had done before were completely irrelevant by the time our day rolled around. I simply did a heavier version of my everyday makeup with liquid liner and false eyelashes. Badabing, badaboom. Done and done.
Accessories. If there is one thing I really need to work on, it’s my ability to accessorize.
I sometimes look at girls who walk around in their fabulous outfits and think “Howwww do they do that?! They look so amazing!” and I would realise that not only are they wearing “outfits” (as opposed to “just clothes” that I throw on every morning when I’m in a rush to get to work), but their accessories are perfectly coordinated and make the whole thing look “just right.”
Clearly, I will need to wear some jewellery on my wedding day. I had initially thought about wearing the red heart Swarovski necklace Jack bought me for Christmas last year, but as the neckline on my dress is pretty high and has enough detail already, I won’t be.
When I first met Jack, I had loads of piercings, and the majority of those were in my ears. I had a rook (top one—left photo), a tragus (middle one—left photo), an orbital (the hoop on the right photo—my absolute fave), and five lobe piercings.
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All photos personal
This giveaway is closed. Congrats to our winner #92 Elizabeth HobbyLobbyist!
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We’ve got a great giveaway for the hive today! 1928 Jewelry has been creating affordable, antique-inspired jewelry for the vintage loving gal for over 40 years. As 1928 marked “the year of opulence,” each piece they design lives up to the standard ultimate opulence—incorporating mostly Czech, Swarovski, or Austrian crystals for a sparkle that’s out-of-this-world.
Lucky for us brides, 1928 Jewelry just launched their sister brand: 1928 Bridal! 1928 Bridal features hand-picked pieces perfect for the vintage and retro-loving bride’s wedding day.
Check out some of our very favorite timeless pieces below. We can’t get enough of this sparkle and amazing antique look!
Pearl Sculpted Button Earrings; Silver Scrolls Floral Teardrop Earrings; Antique Filigree Pearl Drop Earrings; Bridal Crystal Fancy Drop Earrings
Bridal Crystal Fancy Drop Necklace; Swarovski Crystal Pearl Necklace; Sapphire Vine Earrings; Amore Shangri-La Earrings
The team at 1928 Bridal is giving away enough jewels to fill up your entire jewelry box to one lucky hive member! To enter to win $250 from 1928 Bridal, simply comment below. While you’re at it, let us know in your comment a piece or two you’d pick if you were the lucky winner.
As if that weren’t enough, 1928 Bridal is also currently offering 25% off of anything on their website. Shop for all the accessories you need for your wedding day and beyond, and use discount code WEDBEE at checkout. This discount code expires on May 6, 2013. Sign up for the newsletter at the bottom right hand corner of the 1928 Bridal website to receive future discounts and news on upcoming collections.
You have until May 7, 2013 at 11:59PM PST to enter to win sweet swag. Good luck!
The store where I bought my dress, Vocelles, had a trunk show one weekend featuring jewelry and accessories from Haute Bride. I picked Bridesmaid BOC up on a rainy afternoon and we headed to our appointment. On the way I told her what I was looking for—a small dangly earring that was possibly sapphire. We arrived and were greeted by so much beautiful jewelry…
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Personal photo
There were so many options! Above is only a sampling of the large selection we got to look at (and try on!). There was one pair that immediately caught my eye, an oval sapphire stone with a clear crystal halo.
I had my second dress fitting recently, and so far all is good! Bridesmaid A came along with me for squeeing, moral support, and photo-taking (thanks, boo!). It had been nearly three months since my first fitting, so it was exciting to see the dress again and what changes had been made. Because I’m on the shorter side, the seamstress had previously cut a lot from the bottom of the dress during the first fitting. This time around, the bottom had been hemmed and looked brand new. As for the bodice, there still needs to be a few inches taken in on both sides as well as right above my hips (thank you, MyFitnessPal and P90X!), which I think will be finished in time for my third fitting next week.
For this second fitting I had all the same accessories I brought along the first time, with the addition of my wedding-day jewelry from Etsy (delivered one day before the fitting). I had this necklace and these earrings favorited on Etsy for MONTHS—I knew I had to have them when I initially read the words “vintage” and “peacock” in the description. So I finally decided to pull the trigger a few weeks ago…and I absolutely love them!!
Image via Etsy shop Azure Treasures
Once I had my dress and my shoes, it was time to accessorize!
During the not one, not two, but three times I went to try on my dress while I was contemplating the purchase, the consultants at I Do Too were happy to “jack me up,” as they say, with the outrageously overpriced accessory stash they had in the store.
Back up—I should say they were overpriced for my budget. Yes, I will admit to dropping $300 on a pair of shoes, but I wasn’t able to spend that much (or more) on jewelry or a headpiece for the big day. It was hard to resist—I definitely fell in love with several of the pieces the consultants at I Do Too showed me. But in the end, they were still above what I was comfortable spending. So, I did what any thrifty bride would do—I turned to Etsy!
First, I found a pair of pink pearl earrings from an Etsy shop called Twisted Silver Design. Because my dress is fairly simple, I wanted to echo that simplicity in my jewelry. These fit the bill perfectly.
Image via Twisted Silver Design on Etsy
Hive, I am having a necklace dilemma.
I love large (slightly obnoxious) jewelry. I have been on the statement necklace bandwagon since I was about 14. I love to wear a basic outfit with a bold pop of jewelry. Also, one of the perks of having a small chest is that I can rock long, chunky necklaces to my heart’s desire.
When it came to planning my bridal look, of course, I was all about the dress. I wanted the dress to be gorgeous and classic. And thankfully, it is turning out the be absolutely beautiful. (I am having it custom made.) So here is the problem: I have no idea how to incorporate jewelry. I want to find pieces that reflect my personality, but I don’t want to draw attention away from the dress. The neckline of the dress is rather dramatic and, realistically, I should probably just nix a necklace altogether. But deep in my heart of hearts I have to make sure I absolutely can’t make it work. Yes, I could wear bold earrings instead, but it just doesn’t feel the same.
Here are a few contenders:
1. Paro Necklace by St Erasmus
Image via St. Erasmus
Remember when I introduced my dress and said I was excited to make it my own? Well this post is just about that! I also posted about shoes and whether or not I should splurge for expensive heels or go with a simple sandal. This girl is still undecided! But today let’s talk about wedding jewelry.
I’ve seen a lot of pictures lately with necklaces that look something like this, and they kind of make me swoon. Especially the ones with birdcage/short veils because that’s what I’ll be wearing!
Image via A Low Country Wedding / Photo by Tamiz Photography
I have this fashion philosophy that for every outfit, there should be just one “wow” component. If I’m wearing a print, everything else will be somewhat neutral. Statement necklace means the rest of my accessories are simple. If I’m wearing something short, then I won’t show any cleavage. Some people are really good at knowing when to mix prints or layer necklaces—I’m just not one of those people, and it helps me to focus on one element.
Long winded intro, but for my wedding look, I’m trying to decide what my “wow” accessory is going to be. I’ve decided this is going to be one of three things: earrings, a belt, or a hair piece.
Before I get into options, here’s something I’ve already picked out: a simple necklace.
(Photo via Edor on Etsy)
I got this one, except for two hearts. Super simple, and brings in some of my green color. (Side note: I am OBSESSED with Edor. I can’t remember how I first found the shop, but it’s perfect for minimalist, everyday jewelry—super affordable too. I think everyone I know has been gifted an Edor necklace from me recently.)
So, I have some places to play around. Perhaps some spangly earrings that bring in my colors?
Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. A tradition I simply can’t let go of! I must participate in this time-honored tradition, and get an item to fill each of these categories. I know I’m going out of order, but I’m starting today with something new…
And that something new is wedding-day accessories! Sparkly things? My favorite! OK, OK—I’ll calm down with the exclamation points, because I think you get my drift here. 
I love sparkle, and that’s what we’re talking about today.
Since I’m not revealing my dress and only gave away a little detail about my veil, I thought it may be more difficult to talk about accessories. But then I realized—everyone that I’ve spoken to (yes, including my lovely fiancé) knows that I don’t want a plain dress. Be it beading, sparkles, flowers, or ruffles, there is going to be detail in my dress. So picture in your mind a dress with details (I wish I could be more specific!) and then look at these beautiful accessories…
*Let me preface this by saying I do have more than just one hole in my ears; however, for the big day, I just plan to put studs in all of them except the bottom holes.
Image via ElegantChicJewel on Etsy
My style is generally streamlined and simple, and I rarely wear earrings larger than a pair of simple diamond or pearl studs. On my wedding day, I want to go a little bigger. I’ve decided a necklace won’t work with my dress, so I want to wear some dangly earrings since they won’t have to compete with anything else.
I tried these on at Nordstrom and really liked them. I love that they are simple and classic, but still noticeable.
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Image via Nordstrom
These are very similar, but a different shape.
In my day-to-day life, my ability is slim to none. I wear my engagement ring on my left hand and a ring Mr. Scepter gave me when we were in high school on my right hand. Every now and then I throw on a necklace, but that is about as fancy as it gets for me. I wanted my bridal look to kick it up a notch, so over the last few months I have slowly gathered a collection of things to accessorize my wedding dress with.
I have always loved any type of hair accessory. Hats, headbands, hair clips—name it and I will wear it. I am going to wear a veil for our ceremony, but I plan to take it off for the reception so I wanted to have some kind of hair piece I could wear for the whole night. Surprisingly, Amazon had a ton of choices. (I don’t know why I was so surprised—they have everything.) There were three that I loved, but in the end I ordered this beauty:
Excuse the crappy iPhone pic. / Personal photo
I thought it might be difficult to find a necklace that would work with the modified sweetheart neckline on my dress, so I decided to wear earrings and a bracelet and leave my neckline bare. The earrings turned out to be pretty easy to find. I wanted a pair that would incorporate the navy color of our wedding, and after one quick trip to Dillard’s I found what I was looking for.
Today I came home to our very first wedding gift. Well, I didn’t know what it was exactly…I assumed it was something I’d ordered online for another DIY project, and I didn’t look at the sender address before I ripped into it, no holds barred.
Turns out it was from Fiancee Eagle’s great aunt (who unfortunately can’t make the wedding). In addition to a very generous cheque, she handmade us both pearl necklaces. They incorporate cultured and freshwater pearls. She included a very sweet note about how we weren’t obligated to wear them on the wedding day, but if we wanted to we could. How could we not?! Ever since I saw Mrs. Snapdragon’s beautiful statement pearl necklace, I secretly wanted one, too. But I’ve put off looking for jewelry (and shoes! I’m a bad bride) and couldn’t find anything I really liked. Now I have something (and handmade!) that I LOVE.
I love my bracelet, but it turned out that the inside security clasp was too loose. I would put the bracelet on, wear it for a few minutes—or seconds—and whoops, it became unhinged and fell off my wrist.
{personal photo}
Luckily this was a tiny, insignificant structural problem that was easy to fix. Enter a big tool in my dad’s shed…
